A New Run
by K. Alisa
Summary: Ponyboy has a new friend, Bryon Douglas. Bryon's a cool guy who's former best buddy, Mark, is in the pen. Pony and Bryon have just found out that Mark's getting out early for 'good behavior'. Mark seems to have changed but looks can be decieving.
1. Chapter 1

**A NEW RUN**

**Chapter one**

"Pony, you got a visitor." Darry called to me from the front door.

I looked up from the book I had been reading and stood up. Walking into the main room I half froze when I saw who my 'visitor' was. It was Bryon Douglas. Bryon and I haven't exactly gotten along. I've never hated the guy, no, instead he had never thought the best of me. This was strange, I thought, 'cause I was good buds with Mark, Bryon's best friend.

"Hey, Ponyboy." Bryon said with a small grin as if to assure me he wasn't here to fight.

I relaxed a little, but was still suspicious. Bryon had good reason to want me dead. About six months ago he had broken up with his girlfriend, Cathy Carlson. Well, I tried not to admit to myself that I liked her, but I did. I asked her out not long afterwards and we're still going steady to this very day.

"How's the roof on that house of yours, Douglas?" Darry asked Bryon.

"It's doin' real well. That reminds me, Darry, my old lady says 'thanks'." Bryon replied.

"Just doin' my job, buddy." Darry smiled and then turned to me, "Pony, I'm goin' to meet up with Soda and Steve at the park. See you later." Darry walked out the door leaving me and Bryon all to ourselves.

"What's been goin' on, Ponyboy?" Bryon asked me after a few moments of silence.

"Same old stuff." I answered.

Bryon gave a small nod and stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. I knew he wanted to talk about something. I figured Bryon wasn't the kind of person who would just come over to talk. "What did you come over to talk about?" I asked.

"Have you gone to see Mark lately?"

"Yeah, I saw 'im last week. He was moved back to the reformatory." I said, "Mark told me that the state prison was real tough. He'd never seen hell like that before."

"I would have thought state prison would've been heaven for him. Mark's always been tough. I'm surprised he couldn't handle it." Bryon raised an eyebrow.

I was surprised by his remark, although I shouldn't have been. Mark had told me that he hated Bryon now. When I heard this news I was shocked. Was it possible for two 'brothers' to suddenly turn on eachother? There had to be more to this whole story…

"Mark wants to see you again." I said.

"Bryon gave me a puzzled look and half laughed, "You're kiddin' me, right?"

"He wants to see you," I repeated and then added, "That's what he told me. Bryon, he's changed. You should give him a chance." My face looked dead serious at this point. I think it was that fact that wiped the grin of Bryon's face. He sighed and sat down on the couch.

"Ponyboy, I believe you. It's just that I'm a bit scared. I keep thinkin' that one day Mark will be the death of me. Mark wants me dead for turnin' him in, I know that. Despite all that's happened, Pony, I still can't help but feel these brotherly feelings forward him. Ain't this all messed up?"

For a second I couldn't respond. Bryon was right. A similar problem had hit me about two or so years back. Then I had felt that Darry only really cared for Sodapop and not me. Yeah, I loved both my brothers then, but I couldn't help but notice that Darry treated me differently than Soda. I felt kinda stupid when I realized that wasn't true. Darry just really was concerned for me.

"Maybe you should go and see what he wants." I suggested, although I really didn't want to get in other people's business. Then again, Mark was my friend. "From the way he was speaking about you…. He didn't sound angry."

Bryon looked at me. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was thinking over my words. "I don't know, Ponyboy. I just can't believe that he's suddenly stopped hating me. I did such a bad thing to him, I regret it, but I thought it was the right thing at the time." Bryon sighed. "Would you mind going with me? Mark wouldn't try anything stupid around you. He really sees something in you, Ponyboy."

I nodded, "Sure, I'll come with you. And thanks." I grinned.

Bryon and I spent an hour or so just talking and joking around. He reminded me of Mark, but a bit more serious. Bryon wasn't as dumb as I thought he was. In fact, he was quite intelligent. I was very wrong in judging him before!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It had been almost two weeks since I first starting hanging out with Bryon. Of course the guy had his issues, but don't we all? He was great company and got along with most of the rest of our gang. Soda, Two-Bit, and Steve really seemed glad to have someone else hang out with his. Ever since the deaths of Johnny and Dally, our group has never quite been the same. But now, things seemed like they were turning around. It was starting to feel like we were turning over a new leaf in our lives.

"Two-Bit, why don't you take your eyes off of Mickey for once!" Steve said as he turned off the television set.

Two-Bit was about to object but decided not to. Instead he glanced over at Bryon and me. We were playing cards and eating M&Ms. He pulled up a chair to the table and watched us.

"Now was that so hard?" Steve asked with a slight laugh.

"Shut up." Two-Bit snapped. "You guys may not understand how a mouse could be so appealing, but he just has this sort of… air about him."

Bryon and I laughed and got up from the table, leaving our game of cards. We both had agreed that it was getting a little too stuffy inside. It was time to go grab some air. Besides, we had agreed to go meet Cathy and M&M at the hospital. Speaking of Cathy, her and I had been hitting it off pretty well. She was really amazing and unlike any other chick I had ever met… well… besides one.

"Ponyboy! Wait up!" Shouted a familiar voice.

I whipped around and soon saw the beautiful red hair that could only belong to one person…

"Cherry!" I said in complete surprise.

What else could I do? I hadn't seen Cherry for such a long time! She had already graduated from high school and was now attending some big university. What was she doing here, and why would she want to be talking to me? Well, it looked like I would find out soon for she was now standing in front of Bryon and me.

"Ponyboy, I've got a message for you and.. uh… Bryon, isn't it?" Cherry asked looking up at Bryon's face with a questioning look.

"That's me." Bryon replied.

"Good, that will make my job a lot more easier then!" She smiled before continuing, "Well, I just got back from the reformatory. See I was visiting my cousin who's in there, well anyway, this guy stopped me. He looked like he had been there for a while. Somehow he recognized me and asked me to deliver a message to the both of you. He said that his name was Mark Jennings. Do either of you know him?"

Both Bryon and me instantly nodded our heads.

"Oh, okay. Well, Mark told me to tell both of you that he's waiting, and that he'll be ready for when the time comes. Whatever that means."

There was a moment of silence. Neither Bryon nor I spoke. Mark was waiting and ready? Did that mean he was waiting for us to visit? Well, the answer only seemed too clear.

"Thanks, Cherry." I finally said, not wanting her to talk more on the subject. "You know we would really would like to catch up with you, but we had promised two of our friends that we would meet up with them. I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's okay. I'll catch up with you some other time, I guess." Cherry smiled although I was sure I could detect some disappointment on her face. "I'll see you around Ponyboy! It was nice to see you, Bryon!" With that, Cherry Valance walked away from us.

"Oh great. It looks like I'll have to go see what Mark wants after all." Bryon said with a grim look upon his face.

"Let's leave that thought for another time. Meanwhile, let's go have some fun. It's well needed at the moment."

Bryon slowly nodded and the two of us made our way to meet Cathy and M&M.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Bryon and I arrived at the hospital only to find that Cathy and M&M had left already. It seemed that our run-in with Cherry had delayed us some. Cathy never liked to be kept waiting, especially if it was for a boy. Even though I was her boyfriend, I sometimes felt that I had to constantly live up to her expectations It was difficult, I'm not goin' to josh ya, but I did like her.

"What do you want to do now, Bryon?" I asked.

"I wanna go see Mark."

"What? Really?" I was surprised. I wouldn't have thought that he would want to see him after the message that Cherry delivered.

"I'm not going to stop worrying about him unless I see him, right? Things'll be better if we can just talk." He replied simply.

"Okay."

We hitched a ride from Soda to the reformatory. Visiting hours didn't expire for another thirty minutes. That left plenty of time for Mark and Bryon to talk, and if things got bad I could always use the time as an excuse for us to get out of there. Something inside my stomach was doing flips. The last time I had come to see Mark we were friends and it was before I had started hanging out with Bryon. Obviously from the sound of Mark's message he had found out from another one of his visitors that Bryon and I had started getting along. Although I knew from the stories that I've heard that it was possible for the occupants at the reformatory to smuggle weapons past the guards, I prayed to whatever God there was that Mark hadn't been able to.

"We're here to see Mark Jennings." I told the guard at the front.

A few minutes later Bryon and I were sitting at a table near a barred window. The door opened the guard escorted Mark inside. He had changed since I last saw him. The innocent spark in his eye was replaced with something darker. His right eye was bruised and he had a cut on his lip – no doubt he had gotten into a fight recently. Mark didn't say anything when he saw us. He just walked over to the table and sat across from us.

"How ya doin', Mark?" Bryon spoke first, breaking the icy silence that had settled between us.

Mark, who had been staring out the window, looked to Bryon. He stood up and clocked Bryon in the face. Bryon didn't seem like he was surprised. In fact, he reacted as if he had been expecting that.

"I'm fine, but this place is a hellhole. Bryon, I'm ready to get outta here," Mark replied as if nothing had happened, "Hey Pony. I hear you two've been getting' along."

"Yeah." I said simply not knowing what else to really say.

"Yeah what? You two come here actin' like I'm going to murder you both! What a bunch of suckers! I guess that Cherry Valance chick did deliver my message after all! Oh boy, I didn't think she was gonna," Mark grinned.

"Cherry's trustworthy," I said trying to hide a small grin, "I'm not surprised that she told us."

Mark gave me a funny look as if he knew what I was trying to hide, although I wasn't all too sure what it was at the time. He didn't say anything to me, though. "I was just trying to get you guys here to tell you the good news…" Mark paused and then stood up, raising both of his arms, "They're releasing me early for good behavior! Can you believe that?"

Bryon looked from Mark to me clearly shocked. I knew he was expecting Mark to be furious with him. But that was just the thing. Mark wasn't. The guy actually was happy with seeing Bryon even after telling me that he wasn't on the greatest of terms with him. Maybe Mark really had changed? Maybe he was willing to turn over a new leaf and give life a better shot?

"Well..?" Mark looked at us waiting for a response, "You two look like you've been run over!"

"That's good to hear, Mark." Bryon replied.

"Yeah, that's great." I chipped in.

"When do you get out?" Bryon asked.

"Three days. Bryon, do you think I can still stay with you and your mom?"

Bryon didn't reply right then. He took a moment to think. I saw him glance at Mark and then out the window a few times. Having Mark back home would be somewhat strange even though the two were once the best of friends – after what he did and everything that went on. But, Bryon was a sensible guy. I knew he'd do what he thought was best.

"Mom'll be happy to you again." Bryon finally said with a grin, looking to Mark.

Whatever darkness (I think that might have been hesitation) that I had seen in Mark's eye when he first entered the room was gone. I could tell by the way he smiled that he was excited about getting a second chance.

"I just want to know one thing, Mark. Why are you getting out on good behavior when you look like you've been fighting?"

"I actually was helping break up a fight. The guards hadn't gotten there yet, so I stepped in. This big guy was picking on Rolan, this little fella and beatin' him up pretty bad. He needed help. That's how I sort of met Cherry. Rolan's her cousin and she was visiting him when he introduced me. I knew her because of Ponyboy." Mark replied, motioning to me, "She sure does carry a flame for you, Pony."

"It would never work out. I'm with Cathy." I replied quickly.

"Yeah, I know." Mark winked at me and then turned to walk towards the door where a guard was waiting on the other side, "I'll leave you two alone now. I told Rolan I'd meet him for some gourmet dinner food! See you monkeys in three days!" Mark waved with a grin on his face and then walked out the door.

I looked to Bryon who shook his head and let out a small laugh.

"Things are gonna change again. Right, Ponyboy?"

"For better or worse, yeah."

"Startin' a new run at life. I just hope Mark can handle it this time."

"Yeah, me too."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four  
**

It had been two days since Mark was released from the reformatory. He moved directly back into the Douglas' home without any real trouble. It was smooth sailing for him. Bryon brought him over to my house and Mark got right along with my brothers and Two-bit just like the old days. I use the words 'old days' like it had been a decade since Mark was last over. What I really mean though is the 'old days' before Mark was busted for dealing drugs. I don't know I would have expected him to change, or think the other guys would treat him any differently. They knew Mark was no real criminal. He had just made a mistake and he paid his dues.

But something just wasn't quite right. I could sense it in the way Mark and Bryon interacted. Sure, they still acted like good buds. Mark was really making that extra effort, although Mark was a natural charmer that he really didn't need bother. However, the same trust wasn't there anymore. Mark had betrayed Bryon's trust in him and he still hadn't earned it back. Bryon was still aware of Mark's past actions and hadn't forgotten.

"Hey Pony! Where's Cathy?" Mark asked as I arrived at the Drive-In and took a seat on the other side of Mark.

"She couldn't come," I replied with a small shrug and glanced at the ground, the normal thing a human being does when he/she is lying.

"Nah, she just doesn't like me." Mark smirked, "Sorry if I'm gettin' in the way, Ponyboy."

"I told her that you're my friend. I ain't goin' to give you up just because she doesn't like you. Anyway, I've known you longer."

Mark nodded and grinned, "Finders keepers!" He quickly pulled me into a headlock and ruffled my greased hair. I pulled away annoyed and ran a hand back through it to neaten it out again.

"What happened with you two?" Bryon asked.

"I guess we broke up. I don't really know… " I paused, "She said it was either her or Mark. Not to mention she ran into Cherry and is now accusing me of cheating. I told her that she was making a big deal out of nothing and then she told me to get out of her apartment."

"That's rough, Pony," Bryon replied giving me a pat on the back.

"Life's rough, tough, and ugly," I said, "But I got you guys, right?"

"And that makes you the luckiest kiddo on earth!" Mark chipped in with a playful grin.

We didn't get to see much of the movie. We got kicked out for throwing peanut shells on an old couple sitting in front of us. They should have known better, though. What were they thinking coming into a place filled with greasers and young misfits? The drive-in had always been a part of our territory. Mark, Bryon, and I were only trying to remind them of that. We headed to the park. Once we got there Bryon and I climbed up onto the monkey bars as Mark proceeded to poorly act out a movie he had a chance to see in the reformatory.

"Don't you boys make quite the threesome?"

Mark stopped his game of charades and froze as Bryon and I turned around to see who had spoken. It was Curly Shepard, Tim Shepard's kid brother. Since Dally's death our gang had dropped out of contact with the Shepards. They and their gang were real tough hoods unlike ours. We were just a group of friends fighting to survive. I knew also that Bryon and Mark had had their share of complications with the Shepards. If you were up against one or both of the Shepards, it was never a good sign. That's how all three of us knew that seeing Curly and two of his buds wasn't a good omen.

"What are you doing here, Curly?" Bryon asked as he jumped down to the ground. I followed suit.

"Just taking a late night stroll with the guys," Curly replied feigning innocence.

"That's shit." Curly looked at Mark. His eyes couldn't hide his hatred.

"For once you're right, Mark. I had heard rumors that you were out."

"So you came to see if they were true?" I asked.

Curly looked as if he wasn't surprised to see me. "Yeah, I did." An uncomfortable silence settled between the six of us. I was beginning to get anxious. Silences were never good. They usually led to rumbles. It had been such a long time since I had been involved in a fight. Darry would hide me if he knew that I was probably going to go against Curly Shepard if things turned ugly.

"Ponyboy, why you hangin' out with this lot? You really missing the company of Johnny and Dally that much?" Curly asked mockingly, breaking the silence.

I took a step forward but Mark stopped me by putting his hand on my shoulder. He took a few steps ahead of me. Now he there were only three feet between him and Curly.

"Curly, if you got a problem with me then that's fine. Ponyboy and Bryon have nothing to do with it." Mark spoke confidently and with calm in his voice. This was different from the Mark Jennings I knew.

"Sure." Curly snapped back quickly. Before I knew it he had swung his fist and punched Mark in the face. But Mark didn't fight back. He just stood his ground while blood rushed from his nose. The old Mark would have fought back. He would have fought not to defend himself but to keep his honor. But he wasn't fighting now. Neither were Bryon and I. Then again, we weren't really the fighting type.

"HEY! What's going on out there? I'm callin' the cops!" An old lady's voice rang through the darkness from one of the nearby houses.

"We'll continue this later, Mark," Curly spat as him and his cronies fled the scene.

Bryon and I looked at each other and then to Mark, who was watching as Curly ran. He turned back to us and shook his head.

"I know I owe you guys an explanation and you'll get it. But later. Let's get out of here first."

With that we fled the park just as the sound of police sirens reached our ears.


End file.
